EAT THIS: Firefly Restaurant & Bar

Duck tacos that do Daffy's specter proud

By Troy Johnson

Published: 2012.11.16 11:49 AM

A meat friend of mine (he sells cuts) had been talking up Firefly Restaurant & Bar at The Dana for eons. "The chef's really doing some good stuff, blah blah meet me for lunch you slackjawed jerk blah blah blah," said Mr. Meat. So I did. And he was right. Firefly at The Dana on Mission Bay does some things very well. Like that view of the bay and boats in their slip from their patio seating (the actual restaurant has room for negative-six people). And these duck tacos. Exec chef Eric Manuel marinates the meat overnight in a five-spice jus with chicken stock, soy and fish sauce, then tucks very generous chunks of tender Daffy into corn tortillas with housemade habañero salsa and lime-cilantro aioli, finishing with a balsamic reduction. Street tacos—the buzzy term meaning "small taco"—are usually served with protein-confetti, a tiny portion of scattered food. These are the most generous I've seen, and the super-tender meat gets a nice, herbal kick in the pants from that habañero salsa. ALSO TRY: His roasted bone marrow with caramelized onions, fresh tomatoes and micro parsley. The meat-butter is seasoned with salt, pepper and restraint, served with a toasted baguette from Bread & Cie.